In the driver’s seat of a white sedan parked by the roadside sat a woman dressed in a black suit. She wore gold-rimmed half-frame glasses, with the top button of her wine-red shirt collar undone. Her shoulder-length hair was dyed a subtle dark brown, with the strands at her temples tucked behind her ears, revealing a slender, pale neck and the crescent-shaped sapphire earrings dangling from her earlobes.
The woman was thirty-one this year but looked no older than twenty-four or twenty-five. Busy with work, she rested her left hand lightly on the steering wheel while her right hand tapped away on her phone, replying to work messages during the few minutes she waited.
The rear car door was pulled open, and a well-behaved high school girl who bore a striking resemblance to Yan Chu stood outside, offering a sweet, polite smile. “Good evening, Sister Su Ci!”
Su Ci set down her phone, her expression softening as she returned the smile. “Weiwei, it’s been a while. Hurry and get in—the rain’s picking up again.”
Their last meeting had been two years ago, just after Yan Wei finished her middle school entrance exams. Back then, she and Yan Chu had rushed to and from school, barely exchanging a word.
Yan Wei and Jiang Youyi settled into the back seat, while Yan Chu closed her umbrella and took the front passenger seat. As soon as the door shut, Su Ci handed her two tissues and said to the two youngsters in the back, “There are tissues and water in the back—help yourselves if you need them.”
“Okay, thank you, Sister Su Ci.” Yan Wei replied gratefully as she folded her umbrella. Jiang Youyi retrieved a plastic bag from the side of the door and helped her pack away the damp, folded umbrella.
Just then, Yan Chu, having fastened her seatbelt, turned to ask them, “Want to listen to some music?”
“Anything’s fine,” Yan Wei said, unbothered.
Jiang Youyi nodded in agreement. “We’ll follow the host’s lead.”
Such a cultured response.
A faint, silent smile tugged at Yan Wei’s lips.
Yan Chu turned on the car’s music system, filling the cabin with a stream of soft, soothing slow songs that flowed like water. No one spoke further.
During the drive, Yan Wei leaned her head against the seatback, drowsy and half-asleep, when a familiar prelude suddenly played through the speakers. Surprised, she opened her eyes and instinctively glanced toward Jiang Youyi.
Jiang Youyi kept her head down, her short hair covering half her face. She leaned against the car door as if asleep.
If not for the tips of her ears, which had turned a faint shade of red.
Su Ci parked the car in the underground garage, then leaned over to unbuckle Yan Chu’s seatbelt. Out of habit, she moved closer, as if hoping for some small reward, only to be gently pushed away by Yan Chu pressing a hand to her forehead. “Weiwei and her classmate are in the back—mind your manners.”
“So your sister really is the most important to you,” Su Ci said, feigning hurt.
Yan Chu pursed her lips into a smile and reached over to pinch Su Ci’s cheek. “Alright, now go to work. Don’t stay too late—come back early.”
Su Ci reluctantly gave up on her little scheme but still managed to catch Yan Chu’s wrist as she withdrew her hand, planting a quick kiss on the back of it.
Jiang Youyi, who had just pressed the unlock button, loosened her grip for a moment, nearly catching her foot in the door as it swung back.
“Be careful,” Yan Wei whispered, reaching over Jiang Youyi’s shoulder to steady the window. “Come on, let’s get out.”
The stairwell was dim, the sound of heels clicking on the floor startling the lights awake.
Yan Chu took out her keys to unlock the door, ushering the two underage guests inside.
“Are we disturbing you?” Yan Wei stood politely in the entryway, blinking her innocent eyes as she asked cautiously and a little nervously.
Yan Chu chuckled and ruffled her hair, teasing, “Stop pretending. If you were really worried about disturbing us, why ask only now? If I say you’re disturbing us, will you leave and let your classmate stay?”
Yan Wei playfully swatted her hand away, sticking out her tongue with a laugh. “No way!”
Jiang Youyi took a pair of brand-new slippers from Yan Chu and thanked her shyly. Yan Chu then laid out the arrangements: “There’s only one guest room. If you don’t mind squeezing in together, that’s fine. Otherwise, Weiwei can make do with the sofa.”
The apartment was quite spacious, around 140 square meters, with three bedrooms. The smaller side room had been converted into a study, leaving only two bedrooms available. One guest room was kept for occasional use, but since friends rarely stayed over, it was mostly left empty.
“I’ll take the sofa,” Jiang Youyi volunteered to be the “living room resident.” “Let Yan Wei have the guest room.”
The fabric sofa in the living room was large enough to comfortably accommodate one person.
But as soon as she finished speaking, Yan Wei nudged her with an elbow. “Why give it up? Can’t we sleep together? Or do you dislike me?”
“Huh?” A suspicious blush spread across Jiang Youyi’s face. “No, it’s not that…”
Yan Wei didn’t give her a chance to explain further, declaring decisively, “Then it’s settled!” While changing her shoes, she relayed the friendly negotiation to Yan Chu. “We’ll share the guest room. Sis, could you get us two blankets?”
Yan Chu glanced curiously at her sister and the fidgeting classmate beside her, her amused gaze making Jiang Youyi lower her head even further.
“Make yourselves comfortable for a bit. There’s fruit and snacks on the coffee table,” Yan Chu said, tactfully averting her eyes before heading to the guest room to tidy up. As she passed through the living room, she picked up the remote and turned on the TV.
The sound of commercials eased the tense atmosphere in the room. Jiang Youyi stood by the door, feeling a bit lost.
“Why aren’t you coming in after changing your shoes?” Yan Wei grabbed Jiang Youyi’s wrist and pulled her into the living room, pressing her down onto the sofa like a puppet on strings.
Even as Yan Wei picked up a milk candy and unwrapped it, Jiang Youyi still seemed dazed.
Jiang Youyi turned to look at Yan Wei, as if about to say something, but Yan Chu’s voice from inside the room interrupted her thoughts: “Weiwei, come help me for a moment.”
Yan Wei tossed the candy wrapper into the trash bin on the table, clapped her hands, and stood up. “Coming!”
Yan Chu was changing the duvet cover. When Yan Wei entered, she gestured for her to hold two corners of the cover while she focused on the other side, casually starting a conversation. “When did you learn to skip class? Do Mom and Dad know?”
“If they knew, my legs would be broken,” Yan Wei shrugged nonchalantly, helping Yan Chu shake out the duvet cover before changing the pillowcases as well.
Yan Chu was a bit surprised and couldn’t help but laugh. “Aren’t you afraid your teacher will report you?”
“Let them report. What’s more important than seeing my sister?” Yan Wei seized the opportunity to flatter her.
Yan Chu wasn’t buying it, dragging out her tone in mock disgust. “Eww—”
Yan Wei burst into laughter.
“Don’t think I don’t notice,” Yan Chu tapped Yan Wei’s forehead with her index finger. “She’s different from your other classmates, isn’t she?”
Yan Wei hummed in response, neither denying nor confirming it, which was as good as an admission.
Yan Chu let out a long sigh, feeling a pang of sympathy for her stubborn parents for three seconds.
“Actually… I don’t want you to go down this path. It’s quite difficult.” She patted Yan Wei’s shoulder and softly added the second half of her sentence, “But your happiness is what matters most. How about… I help you keep an eye out?”
Yan Wei was moved, but also found it a little amusing and felt a hint of shyness. She clung to her sister’s arm and shook it playfully, “What are you talking about? There’s nothing even started yet!”
Yan Wei raised an eyebrow, “Then do you want something to start?”
“I do.”